Tank with proportioning means



July 19, 1960 T. s. TUTTLE TANK WITH PROPORTIONING MEANS Filed Aug. 28, 1957 INVENTOR.

77love: 5. 7617-7-45 TANK WITH PROPORTIONING MEANS Thomas S. Tuttle, 1674 N. 122ml St., Wauwatosa, Wis.

Filed Aug. 28, 1957, Ser. No. 680,890

4 Claims. (Cl. 137-576) This invention relates to a proportional mixing container for use in storing, mixing and dispensing different fluids. It finds particular utility in mixing fuel for internal-combustion engines.

The invention will be shown and described as having particular utility in connection with mixing fuel for twocycle internal-combustion engines, but it will be understood that it may be used for proportional mixing of various fluids.

Some internal-combustion engines such as outboard motors or power lawn mower engines, for example, use gasoline for a fuel with which has been mixed a predetermined amount of oil for lubrication of the engine. It is essential to maintain the proper proportion between the gasoline and the oil, and this has presented a problem in refilling a partially empty tank containing such a mixture.

Conventional proportional mixing containers or fuel tanks have been proposed which have been provided with means for eliminating the necessity for separate contain- 'ers for measuring the gasoline and the oil. These proportional mixing containers, however, usually require United States Patent manually operated valves to effect the mixing, such valves requiring attention and adding considerably to the cost of such a container.

According to the present invention, there has been provided a proportional mixing container which requires no 'valves for its operation and which insures the correct proportion of different fluids.

The invention provides a container having therein a separate oil measuring receptacle with means for maintaining the levels of the fuel mixture in both the tank and the receptacle at the same height whereby both fluids can be added to the container at any time and regardless of the degree to which the container has been emptied.

The invention further contemplates a container of the above type which permits mixing of the fuel directly in the tank from which it is to be drawn for use. With this invention the fire. hazard of such a mixing operation is considerably reduced. Furthermore, the mixing of the gasoline and oil is very thorough, and the device minimizes the possibility of entry of foreign matter by reducing the usual numberof filling and measuring operations.

Carburetor adjustments and engine requirements are sensitive to fuel mixture variations which are caused by careless measuring or mixing. The container of this invention insures a consistent and thoroughly mixed lubricant fuel c These and" other objects and advantages will appearhereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational sectional view of a container made in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the container shown in Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the invention has been illustrated as applied to a remote fuel tank ice 4 of the type usable with an outboard negine. The tank is substantially rectangular in shape and has a bottom 5 welded to the walls 6, 7, 8 and 9. a The tank has a top 10 formed integrally with the walls as would be formed by a stamping operation.

A collar 11 is welded in an aperture 12 located adjacent one end of the top 10, and the fuel and oil are both poured through this collar for filling the container as will appear. The top end of the collar is threaded to receive the vented cap 13 in sealing relationship therewith.

A fuel line 14 is removably secured to the elbow 15 which is screwed into the top of the tank and is in communication with the interior of the tank for removing the mixture from the tank by suction in the well-known manner. The tank 4 is located at a distance remote from the engine, and the fuel mixture is supplied to the engine via the fuel line 14.

Anoil receiver 17 is secured within tank 4 by the supports or braces 18 which may be welded or otherwise secured to the receiver and to the tank before the bottom 5 is welded in place. The receptacle or receiver 17 has an upstanding portion 16 which is formed by cutting an upper portion of the receiver away to define an upper edge 19 of the receiver. Each side of the upstanding portion. 16 is turned inwardly to form curved attaching portions 20 which are welded within the collar. Thus a rigid and rattle-proof structure is formed;

The upper portion 16 forms a bafile within the collar 11 and, as viewed in Figure 2, When the fluid is poured into the collar, it is directed so as to enter the oil receptacle as the portion 16 occupies the majority of the space within the collar.

The bottom of the oil measuring receptacle has a small aperture 23 therethrough which acts as a bleed hole, and a screen filter 24 preferably covers this hole to prevent any sediment, which may have, accidentally entered the receptacle, from plugging the bleed hole. This bleed'hole and filter assemblage is preferably removable for cleaning or replacement and may be located at any convenient location in the receptacle bottom.

Assume the container is completely empty and it is desired to mix a correct proportion of two different fluids. The receptacle 17 would first be filled with one fluid, such as oil, by directing it into the upstanding portion 16 until the oil reaches the level indicated by the projetcion 2 5. which is located slightly below the overflow edge 19 of the receptacle 17 and is clearly visible through the top of the collar. The other fluid, such as gasoline, is then likewise poured into the receptacle 17- until the tank 4 w completely filled, and it will be noted that air is per-j mitted toescape from the tank through the space 21 between the bafile 16 and collar ll'during this fillingoperation. The resulting mixing action between the oil and gas is one of considerable turbulence, which results in: a thorough mixture flowing from the receptacle over the top edge 19 thereof. When the tank has been completely filled, the-correct. pre-deter'mined proportion has been reached; and the same procedure is followed for filling the tank regardless of the existing leveltherein at the time of filling.

,During fuel withdrawal from the container, the levels simply necessary to fill the receptacle with oil to the indicator 25 and then completely fill the container, via the receptacle, with gasoline.

With this construction there are no valves to adjust or manipulate, the mixing process is extremely simple and requires no separate mixing cans, which in themselves are a fire hazard. The container is sealed by its cap immediately after filling, and no fumes will remain in the area.

The container may also be used to safely store the fuel mixture for indefinite periods. Likewise, the receptacle 17 may be of any given volume proportionate to the volume of the tank 4 depending upon the desired mixture. As for the bleed hole 23, it is believed obvious that it should be of suflicient size to permit the level in the receptacle 17 to recede with substantially the same speed as the level in the tank '4 upon withdrawal of fuel mixture through the line 14, but it should also be small enough to insure retention of substantially all of the oil poured therein during the filling process as above described.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

l. A proportional measuring and mixing fuel container for internal combustion engines comprising, a primary fuel tank for a gasoline and oil mixture, said tank having an upper fuel supply inlet, a removable cap normally closing said inlet, an oil measuring receptable approximately co-extensive in height with said tank secured therein in communication with said inlet, said receptacle having a transverse sectional area at all levels thereof in substantially constant predetermined proportion to the transverse sectional area of said tank at corresponding levels, and means providing an air vent passage leading from the interior of said tank exteriorly of said receptacle and through said tank inlet to the atmosphere, said receptacle also having a bleed hole adjacent the bottom thereof for constantly permitting restricted fluid communication between said tank and said receptacle, said bleed hole being sized to permit equalization of fluid levels between the interiors of said tank and receptacle at maximum normal rates of fuel withdrawal from said tank while not materially varying the differential in fluid levels therebtween during normal introduction of oil to said receptacle.

2. A proportional measuring and mixing fuel container for internal combustion engines comprising, a primary fuel tank for a gasoline and oil mixture, said tank having an upper fuel supply inlet, a removable cap normally closing said inlet, an oil measuring receptacle approximately co-extensive in height with said tank secured therein in communication with said inlet, said receptacle having a transverse sectional area at all levels thereof in substantially constant predetermined proportion to the transverse sectional area of said tank at corresponding levels, means forming segregated filling and air vent passages extending into said inlet, said air vent passage leading from the interior of said tank exteriorly of said receptacle to the atmosphere, and means forming a constantly open overflow passage placing the upper portion of said receptacle in communication with the interior of said tank, said receptacle also having a bleed hole adjacent the bottom thereof for constantly permitting restricted fluid communication between said tank and said receptable, said bleed hole being sized to permit equalization of fluid levels between the interiors of said tank and receptacle at maximum normal rates of fuel withdrawal from said tank while not materially varying the differential in fluid levels therebetween during normal introduction of oil to said receptacle.

3. A proportional measuring and mixing fuel container for internal combusion engines comprising, a primary fuel tank for a gasoline and oil mixture, said tank having an upper fuel supply inlet, a removable cap normally closing said inlet, an oil measuring receptacle approximately co-extensive in height with said tank secured therein in communication with said inlet, said receptacle having a transverse sectional area at all levels thereof in substantially constant predetermined proportion to the transverse sectional area of said tank at corresponding levels, and means forming a filling passage extending through said inlet in direct communication with said receptacle and cooperating with said inlet to provide a segregated air vent passage leading from the interior of said tank exteriorly of said receptacle and through said tank inlet to the atmosphere, said receptacle also having a bleed hole adjacent the bottom thereof for constantly permitting restricted fluid communication between said tank and said receptacle, said bleed hole being sized to permit equalization of fluid levels between the interiors of said tank and receptacle at maximum normal rates of fuel withdrawal from said tank while not materially varying the differential in fluid levels therebetween during normal introduction of oil to said receptacle.

4. A proportional measuring and mixing fuel container for internal combustion engines comprising, a primary fuel tank for a gasoline and oil mixture, said tank having an upper fuel supply inlet, a removable cap normally closing said inlet, an oil measuring receptacle approximately co-extensive in height with said tank secured therein in communication with said inlet, said receptacle having a transverse sectional area at all levels thereof in substantially constant predetermined proportion to the transverse sectional area of said tank at corresponding levels, means providing segregated filling and air vent passages leading respectively directly through said inlet to said receptacle and from the interior of said tank exteriorly of said receptacle to the atmosphere, and means spacing the upper edge of the receptacle side wall from the upper wall of said tank to place said receptacle in constant com munication with the interior of said tank and provide a constantly open overflow passage, said receptacle also having a bleed hole adjacent the bottom thereof for constantly permitting restricted fluid communication between said tank and said receptacle, said bleed hole being sized to permit equalization of fluid levels between the interiors of said tank and receptacle at maximum normal rates of fuel withdrawal from said tank while not materially varying the differential in fluid levels therebetween during normal introduction of oil to said receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 646,927 Cameron Apr. 3, 1900 1,822,901 De Lacy-Mulhall Sept. 15, 1931 1,922,930 Darms Aug. 15, 1933 2,161,060 Kelsey June 6, 1939 2,532,379 Trom Dec. 5, 1950 2,631,608 Rosenberg Mar. 17, 1953 2,788,801 Mowat Apr. 16, 1957 

